Eight protesters arrested at arms fair in Wales
On September 3, Welsh peace and environmental activists protested the 2026 Defence Security Resilience Cymru summit. Carrying “UK Weapons Kill” banners and Welsh flags, they demanded that the event be cancelled. The Welsh government arms fair was held at the Celtic Manor in Newport. A number of protesters blocked the road leading into the hotel with a banner reading in Welsh “Wales For Welfare Not War”, and some of them glued themselves to the pavement.
Eight of the blockaders were arrested and taken to the Ystrad Mynach police station. Seven of them were charged and also banned from Newport. A supporter wrote, “No arms dealers have been arrested or charged: it seems that trading arms is okay but peacefully demonstrating against the arms trade is not.”
From Cardiff Stop the War Coalition:
“The protest was about more than opposing the arms fair. We are also challenging the economic thinking behind it.
“What is particularly troubling is the idea that a Plaid Cymru Welsh Government should see arms manufacturers as a route to economic regeneration. After decades of underinvestment and an economy that has struggled to provide enough secure, well-paid work, is this really the best they can offer?
“Should Wales really tie its economic future to an industry that profits from permanent war, soaring military spending funded by cuts to vital services and the relentless arms sales around the world? Wales deserves better than an economic strategy that waits for the next arms contract to come along.
“But saying no is only part of our argument. We want to make the case for a green economy that improves people’s lives. This is not about fewer manufacturing jobs. It is about creating more secure, well-paid work by investing in the things Wales needs most.
“Wales has brilliant engineers, technicians and skilled workers capable of making sophisticated things. Imagine what we could achieve if that ingenuity was directed towards socially useful production, building the things Wales needs rather than the weapons other countries want.
We should be using Welsh talent to build Wales’s future, not waiting for someone else’s war economy to decide what that future looks like.”
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From Wales on Line
Protestors glue themselves to road outside Wales’ most famous hotel
A number of people have gathered in protest against an arms event taking place in Newport on Thursday – one woman, 72, has been arrested
Holly Morgan Senior Reporter
03 Sep 2026
Protesters have glued themselves to the road leading to Wales’ biggest convention centre on Thursday as they protest against an arms fair.
People have been pictured using their bodies to block traffic entering the Celtic Manor Resort and International Convention Centre Wales (ICC Wales), where the Defence Security Resilience Cymru summit is being held today. Police have said a 72-year-old woman from Caerphilly has been arrested at the scene.
Peace activists, anti-war groups, and local residents arrived outside the venue early this morning with the aim to stop what they call a “Welsh Government arms fair” from taking place.
The event has attracted exhibitors from across the defence industry.
has been criticised for being part of organising the event alongside a subsidiary of General Dynamics – one of the world’s largest arms companies and a supplier of weapons to the Israeli military.
Protestors who are against Wales hosting such an event have been pictured on the bridge with a number of police officers.
With them they have brought signs, banners and Welsh flags.
A police spokesperson said: “Gwent Police is aware of an ongoing protest outside the Defence Security Resilience Cymru event being held in Newport.
“Our officers are in attendance to facilitate a peaceful and safe gathering.
“A 72-year-old woman from Caerphilly has been arrested on suspicion of breaching the peace and remains in police custody at this time.”
One of the campaigners, Christina Jenkins, a 33 year old carer from Newport, said: “The UK and Welsh governments are complicit in genocide. The weapons we produce kill civilians around the world, whilst our oil and gas extraction destroys our future and is already killing people across the world now. We won’t stand for these genocidal industries when we’re meant to be a nation of sanctuary.
The biggest threat to national security in the UK is the climate crisis, not our lack of weapons. The Senedd should listen to them and grow Welsh jobs in industries that don’t profit off of killing innocents. We need more careers in renewable energy, public transport, affordable housing and rebuilding public services. Any money spent on funding war means less for these desperately needed industries.“
Leigh Evans, a retired emergency nurse paramedic from Swansea, said: “We are disgusted that the Senedd would use taxpayers’ money to fund a weapons fair. Over half of people killed in modern warfare are innocent civilians and arms companies at this event are actively supplying genocides and apartheid states around the world.
The weapons makers at this market place of murder profit from killing innocent people at taxpayers expense. To be Cymry is to resist oppression and therefore war, so it us up to us, the Cymry, the true nation and true believers in Heddwch/peace, to make this non-violent stance against the industrial murder complex.”
Another protester said: “I was born in Casnewydd and have lived most of my life here. I’ve watched not only my country, Cymru, be turned into a testing/training ground for genocidal military and weaponry, but now my hometown is being hijacked to allow warmongerers to make profit on weapons that will most definitely take countless lives of children and parents. I cant stand by and let England’s colonialism continue to have such a chokehold from Casnewydd, to Sudan, to Palestine, Yemen, Congo, Myanmar, Kashmir, Iran, Lebanon, and everywhere else. Liberation now.”
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from Independent Catholic News
Wales: Peace activists protest at arms fair
Ann Farr
Sep 4th, 2026
A Government sponsored arms fair is taking place in Newport, South Wales, from 3-4 September. Called the ‘Defence Security Resilience Cymru Summit’ it is being held at the International Convention Centre at The Celtic Manor.
Protest organisers say that: “Welsh public money is being used to co-organise an event bringing together arms companies and the military industry. Among those involved is General Dynamics, a major arms company connected to Israel’s military supply chain. BAE Systems, another major arms manufacturer supplying Israel, will also be exhibiting.
“The Welsh Government cannot claim neutrality while public money helps facilitate an arms fair involving companies profiting from the global arms trade.
We are calling on the Welsh Government to cancel the event and end its support for the arms trade.”
About 60 peace activists, from a number of organisations across Wales, gathered with banners on the approach road early this morning.
Heather, who represented Mid Wales Against Arms and Christians for Palestine, reports: “A very successful protest at the Newport (Welsh Government sponsored) arms fair. The Mid Wales Against Arms flag was on the bridge along with many other flags and banners. There were peace activists taking part from across Wales, representing many different groups.
“We started at 8am and blockaded the road bridge to the ICC from 9am. Seven brave people laid down in the road and “locked on”.
“The blockade lasted for about 2.5 hours, until 11.30 am when the police unlocked and arrested those who were lying in the road.
There were songs for peace, speeches and chanting. Sadly, none of the invited MSs (Members of the Senedd) attended to speak.
The protest was entirely peaceful but there were four arrests and the site was subject to a Section 14 order once the blockade began. It seems that selling arms to fuel a genocide is not a crime and no arms dealers suffered arrest.
“We are home and safe but those arrested are still being detained and so far have not been allowed to call a solicitor, the back office or a family member. Please hold them in your prayers.”
Cardiff Stop the War Coalition commented: “Today we protested the Welsh Government Arms Fair, co-organised with General Dynamics, an arms company supplying Israel.
“The Welsh Government wants Wales to capture the ‘benefits’ of the enormous increase in UK military spending by expanding the arms industry here.
“But when increased UK military expenditure is likely to be funded by austerity cuts to public services, social security benefits, climate spending and mass job losses is this really what we need.
“Wales should be using its industrial capacity and skilled workforce to build a peaceful, sustainable economy, not making itself increasingly dependent on arms production.”
Campaigners report that activists arrested were finally released by police at 1.45am today. Seven out of the eight people who were arrested have been charged. They have also been banned from Newport and police have issued section 14 notices for all bridges in Newport! (Begs the question how can they get home without crossing bridges?). No arms dealers have been arrested or charged: it seems that trading arms is ok but peacefully demonstrating against the arms trade is not.
Ann Farr is from Pax Christi England and Wales, Working Group for Justice in Palestine and Israel.